Chapter 2
"Boss, Peter seems to be in distress." Tony quickly got up. Chest heavy from Friday's words.
He quickly got out of his room and sprinted towards Peter's room.
"Hey Pete?" The sight of Peter sobbing almost broke his arc reactor heart. Quickly climbing on the bed, he pulls the teen in his arms.
"Shh.. you're okay bud. I'm here." Peter nods against his chest.
"You're okay.." Tony hush his cries, wiping his tears.
"Don't leave Tony.."
"I won't. Do you want to sleep in my room or here?" Tony asks and Peter just scootch to the side.
Knowing the signal, Tony went under the covers and didn't even need to pull the boy close. Peter shakily cuddle with his mentor. Hiding his face over Tony's side.
"Are you comfortable like that Pete?" Peter only nods as Tony moves to lie on his side so Peter can place his head over his arm. Hiding his face over Tony's chest. The humming sound from the arc reactor calming him further.
"Better?" Tony ask but Peter was already half-asleep. Arm around Tony's waist.
"I got you Pete.. I got you." Tony combs back the curls he's getting so fond off and watch the boy sleep.
"Fri.. lights at zero percent." He says his voice muffled but still quiet as he dig his face through the mop of brown curls.
"Good night boss." As soon as the lights turn off, Tony fell asleep under the scent of Peter's shampoo.
***********
Peter notices now that the Avengers never left the compound after dropping by that day. He asks Tony about that and said that they are currently on vacation after the last mission.
So waking up with non other than the Avengers laying around and playing video games was one of the weirdest things that ever happen to him aside from getting bit by a radioactive spider that is. He even thought that he is still dreaming. Waking up with superheroes lounging around.. well you don't get to see that everyday.
"Morning short stuff." Clint pass him as he enters the living area, ruffling his already messy hair.
Was that Hawkeye?
"Peter, hun!" Peter's sleepy eyes lit up with the sight of Pepper by the kitchen counter. He quickly walks in the kitchen and around the counter.
"You're here." Peter hugs her, leaning his head over her shoulder. Pepper didn't know what do at first but her arms automatically wrap up protectively around the boy that she grew so fond off with only few weeks.
Like Tony says.. he grows on you.
She was finally getting used to Peter's morning clingyness. It first happen when he woke up in a nightmare and he will not say a word and just hug her. She knows he does this to Tony too and they already talked about it.
"Rough night?" She said kissing his head and rubbing his back a few times. The only response she got was a slight nod. No matter what they ask or how they ask. Peter never tells them the details of his nightmares. One thing Tony got out of him was it was certainly about May.
"Nothing a breakfast can't fix right?" She said smoothing Peter's curls that she also grew fond off. She even change his shampoo too a green apple scented one.
"I already cooked some bacons and eggs for you. There are bread there too and some peanut butter and jam that's now being devoured by Bruce and Sam over there."
"We're gonna leave some!" Sam said with a mouthfull of sandwich. Bruce just wave at them.
"Is that Dr. Bruce Banner?" Peter said still in Peppers arms.
"Yup. Wanna go there? I'm sure you'll enjoy his company talking about I don't know.. quantum physics? I'm sure you'll fit right in with that smart little brain of yours." Peter nods again and a sigh left his lips when Pepper squeeze him, kissing his cheek right after.
"Thank you Pepper." Petter said as Pepper hand him a plate filled with a dozen bacons and scrambled eggs on the side.
With his metabolism in check. Pepper knows how much he needs to eat.
"You're really not his mother, right?" Natasha said sneeking up behind Pepper while she's smiling at Peter who just sitted next to Bruce. Pepper almost scream but she was able to hold it in.
"Hello, Natasha. Good Morning to you too." Natasha just chews on her sandwich as she leans over the counter staring at her.
"Well. No I am not."
"You sure? The kid is like a mini version of Tony to me. You guys really didn't hide a love child behind our backs, right?"
"Natasha.. if only that were true." Pepper said staring back at Peter as his face light up talking about science experiments with Bruce with Sam inserting science jokes in between.
"Nat, stop it. I already told you all you need to know. You do your spying tendencies else where." Tony appears rubbing his face as he broke into a yawn. Coming forward to Pepper to hug her and kiss her lips and then resuming in hugging her.
"You're here." Tony murmured against her neck. Noticing the scarily similar gestures. Pepper turns to Natasha.
"Um.. Nat tell me if you find out anything. They are so similar that it's giving me goosebumps."
"Sure." Natasha smirks that turns into a full blown smile when Tony pulls away from Pepper with a exasperated look.
"Pepper!" He throws his hands in the air shaking his head. "I can't believe you." Pepper just laughs and somehow Natasha disappears leaving the two of them flirting in the kitchen.
*********
When everyone finished their breakfast. Pepper excuse herself as she needs to go back to SI. Peter didn't mean to eavesdrop but the super hearing doesn't know that.
"Tony, you need to go tell him about your business trip in Germany. I've already pushed this back a week. You need to be there. I was able to minimize your stay to 3 days instead of a week but you probably will not be able to get some rest while you're there." Pepper said.
"I know. It's just.. I can't leave him like this Pep. I don't know if you notice but he's not like this before. He's always so cheerful, like he'd been high with sugar, jumping around my lab for who knows how long. He even met the team which he beg me before to introduce him but he's not liking the company as much as I hope he would. Maybe I've been doing this all wrong.."
"Shh.. hun you're doing great! What are you saying?"
"I just don't know the first thing to do. I'm not a father and fuck, I don't even have a good father figure to look up too. What if I make a mistake? What if I break him more?!" Tony was pacing and Pepper need to sit him down so he doesn't trip off himself. With fingers tapping the table, Peter knows that's definitely Tony's restless hands.
"Calm down."
"Boss, your heart rate is elevated." Friday chimes in and Pepper sighs.
"Good to know Fri. Anyway Tony look at me." Pepper leans down to cup his cheeks, giving his fiancé an understanding smile.
"You are not Howard. You're doing great Tony. The kid loves you. And I know you love him as much as he does--"
"Pepper.. I can't be his dad. I just can't do this!"
Tony's words were like hollow blocks that was drop on his chest over and over again. He shakes his head trying to focus his hearing else where and then he heard the sirens. Shit! Spiderman..
He's not been patrolling at all after what happen to May. He couldn't even save the only relative he has. How can he be responsible for other lives like this?
But he also know that May will never blame him for her death and his guilt will never let him live if he does not get out of the compound now. Grabbing his spiderman suit he quickly undress to his boxers and and wear it as fast as he could. Checking his web shooters, he opens the window from his room and crawl out of the wall, shooting his webs on a nearby building and finally getting out after keeping hisself inside for almost 2 weeks.
"Hey Karen.."
"Welcome back Peter. How are you?"
"Better, I guess. Can you tell me what's happening down there?" He stops in a roof top eyeing the seen with his eyes zooming in the sight.
"It's a bank robbery. 3 robbers and 12 civilians still inside. Police are trying to negotiate but one robber has a kid hostage."
Shit.. okay. You can do this Spiderman.
"Hey officers!" He finally swings in and the cops eyes fell wide knowing who he is. He kicks the glass door open, quickly disarming the robbers and successfully grabbing the kid from them.
"Is it nice picking on children? Why don't you pick someone your own size!" He quickly flips his way through one robber kicking his chin. He manage to gather all the robbers and web them up tight in a span of minutes.
"You're all good? No body got hurt right?" The civilians got up and finally claps for him. Thanking him as he exits the bank.
"They're all yours sir."
"Thank you Spiderman." He swings his way out.
"You did well Peter." Karen said.
"Thank you Karen."
"Incoming call from Mr. Stark."
"Uh.. wait don't answe--"
"Kid, where the hell are you?! Friday just informed me that you got out of your room in your suit out of a window and all without telling me!" He's mad.. He swings to another roof and stops there.
"Mr. Stark, I'm fine."
"So we're back with Mr. Stark now huh. Alright, Mr. Parker, you get your ass back here right now or else!"
"Why?! Can't I go out and Patrol? I just saved 12 people--"
"Not with you in that condition you're not!"
"I said I'm fine! I'm going back before Dinner."
"Peter!"
"End call."
Peter slumps on the floor sighing.
"Karen.. scan the area."
"Mr. Stark is calling again."
"D-Do not answer that! Karen block him until I get back to the compound. Please just scan the area. I better do something before I get grounded anyway."
Spiderman swings around saving 3 muggers, a kid who had a cat stuck on a tree, one carnapper, a old lady who got loss, and help an old man replace his tire.
Without realizing he got all the way back to Queens and that it's already getting dark out.
"May.." he felt a lump in his throat and like he was bathed in cold water, he went in their apartment shaking.
"May?" As if she'll be there. Peter calls out for her and as he already knows. No one will be there.
He takes off his mask and cling onto it as he feel his eyes burning with tears.
"May.. I'm sorry.." He lifts up a picture frame of her and his Aunt. A picture of them in their favorite Thai restaurant.
She died in a car crash going home from work. It was late at night and raining hard. A car hit hers in an intersection and both her and the other driver didn't make it.
It's just me and you now, Pete. Only me and you.
Now I'm all alone..
"I saved a lot of people today May.. but all of them.. cannot even change the fact that I can't save the only family I have. I'm so sorry.." He fell on his knees crying over her picture. Tears dripping down the dusty glass and he sobs and sobs. Until he couldn't produce tears no more.
Pushing the spider logo on his chest. The suit fell away from his skin and he steps out of it. Walking in his room, placing on an old oversize shirt. He pulls on a sweatpants and drop on his unmade bed. Not even clean. He stares at her picture again then placing the frame over his chest. He pulls the covers on his and under the covers he felt his eyes produce more tears he thought have dried as he hug the frame close to his chest.
"May.. I'm sorry. I love you."
********
"Did you track his suit?" Happy said as he drives over the speed limit towards New York's busy streets.
"Yes. He's... in their Apartment. He hasn't move for an hour. He doesn't even answer my fucking calls Hap! That kid." Tony sighs hard rubbing his temples
"I could've flown there but Friday said he's not hurt and Pepper suggested to drive so we can talk on the way back."
"He's fine Tony, don't worry too much."
"I can't not worry. That's my job."
"Okay, Dad." Happy said.
"I'm not his-"
"Oh sush Tony, you are. Do you want me to send Colonel Rhodes just to prove the point? He's better than me when it comes with snapping some sense into that genius brain of yours."
"I'm not fit to be his Dad Hap.."
"Then I'm not fit to be your driver/bodyguard then."
"Happy.."
"Tony, you love that kid and he loves you. You're keeping him away from danger, you made him a suit. You know his favorite color, music and even pizza flavor. You know his school schedule and even know his curfew. You know when he needs you and when to discipline him and when to spoil him. You even help him with his homework and sign a god damn guardianship for him the moment he got sick in school and no one was there. You pick him up and cared for him until he's well enough, jumping around and fighting crimes again or what not. You love him as a son and will die for that kid anyday. If that's not a Father, I don't know what is."
"Happy.."
"Tony didn't you have this talk with Pepper already?"
"How did?"
"Pepper called me and told me everything. Now stop doubting yourself and let's go get your son."
"Okay. Alright. I'm out numbered. You guys win. I just.. need my son safe and home with me."
"Your son Tones." Happy repeats with a knowing smile.
"My son.." something click in his mind and he fish out his phone calling Pepper. She answered after the third ring.
"Did you find him?"
"Yes hun, I'll get him back by Dinner. Pepper listen."
"I am."
"Let's adopt Peter."
"Okay."
"What? Ok? That's it?"
"Okay. I already have the papers prepared Tony. I'm only waiting for you."
"Oh God.. remind me again how lucky I am to have you?"
"Too lucky. And I am too. Get back our baby. I'll be finishing up here and go home. We need to tell Peter."
"Tonight?"
"Yes tonight."
"Isn't that going too fast, Pep?"
"Let's ask Peter first about the idea of adoption. If he wants time then we'll not push him."
"Ok.. God, thank you for Pepper Potts."
"He hears you. I'll see you both tonight."
"I love you so much hun."
"I love you too. And Tony.. you'll not screw up. Have faith in yourself. You're doing great."
"Thank you."
********
"Oh Pete.." Tony had to deny the fact that he almost cry seeing his son so small in his twin bed. Hugging to a picture frame, with his face red and covered in drying tears.
"Let's get you home bud." He brushes his hair back and Peter sniffs.
"May.." he cries waking up from what look like another nightmare.
"Guess again."
"M-Mr. Stark..?"
"No Pete.. try again." Tony wipes his cheeks, pulling the boy up and letting him lean over his chest.
"Tony.." He sighs over his chest hearing the arc reactor humming against his ear. Now, finally dropping the frame to hug his father-figure.
"The one and only. Let's go home squirt."
"Y-You're not mad?" His voice sounded so small and it breaks Tony's arc reactor heart on just how vulnerable his son looks right now.
"I am. You went out without telling me and you are not answering my calls. I got worried. I made Karen report to me every 10 minutes just to calm my nerves."
"Sorry.."
"Just don't do it again."
"It's just.. I miss her. I miss May, Tony. I miss her so much." The boy in his arms shakes and he rock them rubbing circles on his back.
"Shh. I know bud. I know you do and that's okay. That's okay.. just tell me next time okay? You're not alone Pete. I'm here. I'm right here."
Peter knows Tony didn't want to be a Dad but even so.. just for awhile. He savoured this moment. Breathing in the scent of the man who is just like a father to him.
"Let's go back. Pepper will be waiting. We wouldn't want her to wait right? You know what she's like." He nods against his chest and let Tony pull him away to wipe the fresh tears from his flush cheeks.
"There's my boy." Tony smiles at Peter, kissing his forehead before pulling him back in his arms.